Time in a Bottle
by Thornweed
Summary: Stuck in his childhood home with nothing to do but drink his time away, Sirius falls further into depression until a mistake in the future sends someone unexpected to turn his world upside down.
1. Timing

"All right, Padfoot?"

Remus's soothing voice called down from the top of the stairs joining with the squeaks of the old wood and settling Sirius' jarred nerves. It had always been that way between the two of them. Sirius would arrive at Kings cross each September a bottle of fizzy water waiting to explode and Remus was always there to settle him down.

"Fuck. I hate this place, mate."

Remus sighed as he watched the animagus flick his cigarette away before wandlessly disappearing the butt in midair. Sirius rubbed his hands over his eyes and through his hair as if he could pull his frustration out of the long black follicles.

"I know," Remus said pulling out the wooden chair next to his friend, his brother, resting a reassuring hand on Sirius's shoulder.

The Order meeting had long since ended leaving the two the last remaining members in Grimmauld Place. The Weasleys had been the first to leave. Molly made sure to pack up leftovers for Sirius to have between now and next month's meeting. She didn't do it out of concern for him, that was for damn sure. It was more of an off handed way to take care of Harry, her surrogate son. Sirius hated that she thought of herself as more of a parent than he should be.

Kingsley and Tonks had left shortly after the Weasleys. While discussing further plans with the Ministry, Tonks gave a slight nod and a wink toward Remus as the walked past. Sirius couldn't help but notice how Tonks' eyes seemed to always drift to a certain werewolf throughout the meetings. Remus would stare diligently at the speaker to avoid Tonks' intense gaze, all the while his cheeks turning more and more pink. Sirius smiled to himself at the image and took another cigarette out of his pocket, conjuring a small bluebell flame in his hand to light it.

"It'll only be worse when you leave," Sirius sighed.

"You know I'll return as soon as I can." Remus smiled softly but it didn't reach his eyes. He knew that leaving his friend here in his own personal prison was almost as bad as staying locked in Azkaban. "Besides, you'll have the next order meeting to look forward to."

"And what the fuck am I going to do then, huh? All I ever do is wait around this rotting hell hole. I can't even write to Harry as much as I want," he barked at his friend flicking the ashes from his cigarette into his cold tea cup. Remus leaned back in his chair while it squeaked it's protest underneath him and Sirius stared at him. Time had not treated either of them well but it seemed to treat Remus worst.

"Just be careful, yeah? It would kill me to be the last Marauder." Remus grimaced at the thought and what was left unsaid between them. "Today went well though. Didn't it?" the werewolf asked, trying to change the subject.

Sirius smiled lightly as he thought of his earlier excursion to King's Cross dispensing Harry and the others aboard the Hogwart's Express. His eyes closing as he tried to remember the feel of the sun on his face and the fresh air in his lungs. He had felt so free running down the platform as he barked at his Godson, sending him back to the only place either of them could call their true home.

"They'll probably be finishing up the Welcoming Feast by now," Sirius sighed before taking another long drag off his cigarette. "What I wouldn't give for some Hogwarts pudding."

"Treacle Tart with ice cold pumpkin juice!" Remus' eyes shut as he savored the memory and a sigh of pleasure left his lips. Sirius raised an eyebrow at his friend. Maybe he needed to send an owl to Tonks. It had clearly been too long since Remus had gotten laid. Remus opened his eyes and caught Sirius' stare.

"You know I bet Kreacher could whip some up for you if you really wanted."

Sirius scoffed at the thought, "Yes, but I think the poison he would add might throw off the flavor a bit."

Long after the candles of the kitchen had burned out, long after Remus had said his final goodbye, Sirius sat alone in the kitchen of 12 Grimmauld place. The glass tumbler of firewhiskey in front of him never seemed to empty as he downed most of the bottle. The only sound around him was the crackling of the fire as it threw shadows across the room and causing Sirius' imagination to run away from him. Stretching across the walls of the decrepit kitchen, they began to form into the shapes of all his past failures. Sirius watched as his Mother's form danced across the wall.

 _You filthy, traitorous scum. A stain on my most ancient and noble house._

"You need new material, mother dearest," Sirius breathed as he threw back another gulp of fire whisky. He had heard his mother spewing hatred for most of his life. He had hopes that it would stop when she was dead, but even in death Walburga Black wanted the last word. Not to be left alone, the light flickered into another shape, stretching taller and thinner, turning into his brother Regulus.

 _You left me, Sirius! You knew what I would have to face. You knew the responsibilities of being the heir to the most Noble and Ancient House of Black. You turned your back on it, turned your back on me. I was left to pick up the pieces. You are no longer my brother! I no longer have a brother. I have no one now._

Slamming the bottle harder than necessary, Sirius refilled his glass. He fought back the stab of pain that the memory of his brother always brought. He forced it behind the burn of the fire whiskey down his throat. So what if he had left Regulus alone in an abusive house. He couldn't very well take him with him to Hogwarts at the age of 11. And besides, he didn't force Reggie into Slytherin. He didn't force Reggie to stop talking to him. Yea, he could have reached out to him more. And of course he could have tried and get Reggie to see that blood purity was hogwash, but his brother wouldn't have listened anyway. Besides it wasn't like Sirius could have brought him to the Potters when he escaped. So, he had left his brother. Alone. With nowhere to go and no one to save him.

The shadows took shape again flicking more pain on Sirius as he saw the shape of Marlene swaying before him.

 _I gave you everything, Sirius. I gave you all of me the second you called for me to wait for you in the hallway. One look and my heart was yours. Looking back now, I should have kept walking._

He lit a cigarette with his bluebell flame and summoned another bottle of firewhiskey. The ghosts of his past weren't going to leave him alone tonight. He knew Marlene had been in love with him. He knew that he was using her, but back then the idea of settling down was too much for Sirius. Too real. There was a war going on and only idiots would have sealed themselves to another with a war going on. Let alone long enough to have sprogs. Taking a deep drag he exhaled and watch the smoke swirl and mix with the ghosts of the shadows until he saw the form of Lily before him.

 _If you don't stop your ways you will end up alone, Sirius. Alone with only memories and fire whiskey to keep you company._

Sirius couldn't help but chuckle at the irony of her words as he drank another shot of firewhiskey. The first bottle always was there to dull the pain, the second would make him forget himself completely. Lily always knew how to make Sirius see straight. One sentence and she could build him up when he was low. Another and she would cut him down to where he belonged. The first time Sirius had watched her slap James across the face, he knew that he would always love her. Maybe that was his problem back then, no one could hold a candle to Lily in Sirius' eyes. But Lily only had eyes for James.

 _I hate being stuck here, Sirius. I'm going mad knowing the war is raging and I'm a sitting duck in my home. It's hell. I don't know what I would do if I didn't have Lily and Harry, mate._

Sirius knew all too well what it was like being stuck in hell. Suffocating on your own breaths as you struggle to make it out of bed only to realize there was no point of it anyway. Sirius' days faded together in a haze of alcohol and memories with only the occasional letter from Harry and Remus to keep him sane.

The hard chair was becoming uncomfortable but all that waited him upstairs was a cold empty bed. Choosing the kitchen he continued to drink hoping that the alcohol would be enough to keep the demons away. Though it wasn't enough to keep away his ghosts. It was never enough.

Sirius woke with a start, water filling his lungs as he coughed and wiped at his face.

"What the fuck?" he growled anger coursing through him. He was having a lovely dream. One that he would have gladly returned to. "What the fuck just happened," he asked again to no one in particular.

Surveying the room he saw it unchanged from how he left it. The empty bottle and crystal tumbler still in front of him on the scratchy wooden table. The old Black china in the cabinet around him. The fireplace was empty from having burned out the night before.

Rubbing his eyes he growled again as his head pounded. Why the fuck was he wet?

"KREACHER!"

With a pop the ancient elf appeared in the kitchen in front of him looking much like he usually did, just as wrinkly and just as dirty.

"The traitor has called," the elf rasped glaring at Sirius.

"Shut the fuck up you bloody bat. Where have you been? And why am I wet?" Sirius spat summoning a dishtowel from the counter to dry himself off.

"Kreacher knows not," the elf replied. "Kreacher's been upstairs all night."

"I don't know what kind of fucking game you think this is, but I advise you to leave me alone in the future," Sirius growled.

"Kreacher knows not what the traitor says," Kreacher muttered. "Kreacher plays not a game. Kreacher just wants to be alone with his Mistress."

"Well, go back up to the attic then. Go on, get the fuck away from me," Sirius barked and kicked out as the elf scuttled out of the kitchen.

He rubbed his face with the towel and groaned at his pounding skull. Bits and images from his dream came fluttering back to him.

" _What am I going to do with you, Sirius?" the brunette angel whispered low, her warm breath caressing Sirius' ear. He tried to reach out, her warmth calling to him. She brushed his hair off his cheek and he turned his face into her palm savoring her touch._

" _Sirius…" she called again and he grunted a response as her curls tickled his cheek. She smelled vaguely familiar, like cinnamon and vanilla and something else._

" _Sirius, wake up," she continued softly. Her hand slipped up his cheek and threaded through his dark hair caressing it with delicate fingers and he let out a soft sigh. Until she twisted his strands tightly in her fingers_

" _Sirius!"_

" _Ow! What the fuck!" he spat before he could stop himself and he squinted in the light, twisting around trying to find her around him as as he rubbed the back of his head where she had pulled his hair._

" _Why do you always have to be such a bastard?" the angel spoke softly. "A beautiful bastard, but a bastard nonetheless."_

 _Sirius tried to follow the sound of her voice but he was deep in his haze of alcohol. The angel rubbed her soft tiny hand over his own and he body felt calmed instantly._

" _At least you're my beautiful bastard," She sighed and Sirius opened his eyes gently towards her. Her curls framed her face and she shone in a brilliant light._

" _Who are you?" he asked as he squinted and blinked at her brilliance._

" _Oh Sirius, you drink too much," she sighed. "You need to drink less firewhiskey and more water."_

"Well, isn't that the bloody fucking truth," Sirius sighed as he stretched his sore muscles and took a deep breath coughing as the air filled his lungs. Walking to the sink he grabbed a glass from a cabinet and filled it with water before chugging down the liquid. The pounding in his head seemed to get louder and louder.

Suddenly, the middle of the ancient kitchen was a small flash of blue light. For a moment time seemed to stand still as Sirius stared into the pea sized sphere before blue light that fluttered ahead of him.

"Bloody fuck?" he said as the light seemed to shoot around, illuminating the room around him with brilliant blinding blue light. As quickly as it had come it was gone.

Sirius stood with his heart beating rapidly in his chest. He didn't dare breath as he watched and waited and deciding to immediately cut his firewhiskey habit by at least half, maybe a fourth. It was clearly doing things to his head.

He rubbed his eyes to get the burn out of them and when he opened them he realized he wasn't alone. Quicker than he expected in his inebriated state, the animagus had his wand in front of him ready to attack. Standing with their back facing him was a woman. Her dark chestnut curls were piled on top of her head in a messy bun and Sirius took a moment to take in her petite form in the loose white sweater and cut off jean shorts. He stopped for a moment on her pert arse before drinking in her long tan legs down to her tiny feet in converse shoes. He smiled in approval allowed himself another glance before he realized she was mumbling to herself.

"Oh my. I did it. I finally did it!" She laughed out loud. She had a tinkling laugh that filled the kitchen with warmth as she bounced on her toes hugging herself. "I can't believe it. Well, I can believe it actually," she giggled smugly before letting out a loud cheering "Whoohoo!"

Startling Sirius he jumped back and hit the chair behind him causing it to fall to the floor with a loud crack.

The woman jumped up with her wand in her hand holding it pointed at the animagus with a quickness that shocked Sirius as he stared at her fierce stance. He watched as fear filled her eyes as she held her strong stance firm. Sirius knew immediately that this was not a witch to be messed with.

He watched as her dark chocolate eyes grew wide with surprise and then fear again. Her arms began shaking slightly showing her nerves as her breath came out in a ragged sob.

"Sirius?" she whispered softly and as soon as her words hit him he realized who it was standing in front of her.

"Hermione?"


	2. Good Things Take Time

_He watched as her dark chocolate eyes grew wide with surprise and then fear again. Her arms began shaking slightly showing her nerves as her breath came out in a ragged sob._

" _Sirius?" she whispered softly and as soon as her words hit him he realized who it was standing in front of him._

" _Hermione?"_

Neither lowered their wand as they continued to stare at each other.

"What are you doing here?" she whispered as her hand reached up to her chest cradling something in her grip.

"I live here. What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at Hogwarts?"

"Shouldn't you be…" she began but she never finished her thought as her wand arm began shaking uncontrollably.

Sirius was much too inebriated to deal with this shit. How the hell did she get here? The pounding in his head began again as he realized that this could be a trap.

"Quick, tell me something that only Hermione would know," Sirius barked.

"You escaped from Hogwarts on the back of Buckbeak after Harry and I rescued you," she whispered and Sirius let out a breath as he lowered his wand and reached out for his firewhiskey.

"Aren't you going to ask me a security question?" she asked hesitantly.

"Ok," he began as he swayed slightly. "How did I escape Azkaban?"

She smiled at him as she answered, "As Snuffles of course."

He closed he eyes with a smile and stumbled. His equilibrium was not up to par.

"Are you well?" she asked, concern filling her features as he sat down in the chair in front of her and reached for the tumbler that was still on the table filling it again.

"Are you…" She took a step closer to him and sniffed the air around him. "Are you drunk?" she asked incredulously.

Sirius half snorted into his drink. "Very observant, Miss Granger."

"Oh Sirius," she breathed, her voice full of sadness as she put her wand into her back pocket.

"I don't need your pity," he spat at her as he tipped back another shot, slamming his glass down hard on the worn wooden table.

She sighed at him disapprovingly sounding enough like Molly Weasley to make Sirius cringe slightly.

"No, but what you do need is a bath." She walked over to him slowly. "Come with me. I'll start one for you and get you some sober up as well, shall I?"

Sirius grunted a response and reached for the whiskey again but Hermione was quicker.

"Maybe the sober up first," she said, rolling her eyes as she took the bottle and tumbler away from Sirius. She put it in the cabinet before going to the sink and washing the crystal. When she was finished she filled the glass with water. Sirius watched with curiosity as she flitted about before summoning a sober up potion and walking back towards him with a smile on her face.

"Here you go, love," she whispered her eyes full of pity again. Sirius downed the potion and chugged the water before slamming the glass back on the table.

"Happy now?" he barked causing her to flinch. He stood quickly and stomped toward the stairs. "I'll just go have a bath now, shall I? Don't want my alcoholic odors to offend your swotty princess nose."

He stomped extra hard on the stairs flinching himself as the door slammed behind him. He stood for a moment as guilt flooded him. He was a bastard, really. There was no excuse for it.

Sighing he turned back towards the kitchen.

"Hermione?" he called as he opened the door slowly. "Hermione, I'm sorry." Pushing the door further open he looked around the now empty room. "Hermione?"

As he stood alone, confusion set in. He knew that the wards in place wouldn't allow for disapparation so she couldn't have gone. The unplottable house wards wouldn't allow for entry with the exception of the front door. How did she leave? Looking around the empty kitchen another thought occurred. How did she even get in?

" _Sirius…"_

 _The angelic voice called to him from far away and he wanted nothing more than to hear her say his name over and over again._

" _Sirius…"_

 _He smiled softly as he felt delicate fingers begin to unbutton his shirt and untuck it from his pants. He felt warm hands running across his chest and he moaned at the caress, leaning back as her hands explored further down his torso. He wanted to open his eyes but the room was far too bright._

" _Sirius…"_

 _He heard the metal of his belt buckle being undone and felt her fingers unbutton his jeans. He leaned back further against the cold surface behind him as he felt slow tease of the zipper being pulled down. Her tender touch sent a shiver down his spine and he couldn't stop himself from thrusting his hips forward to feel more of her touch._

" _Sirius…."_

 _He moaned as he felt one elegant hand press against him, feeling his need for her, as the other began tugging his boxers and jeans down together over his hips. He sighed in relief as he moaned her name…_

" _Oh, Marlene."_

Suddenly, Sirius found himself once again coughing water out of his lungs. Cold water was pouring in his face and he couldn't block it. Spitting and spurting he tried to stand but his pants were around his knees and he slid back, hitting his head on the hard surface behind him.

"Bollocks!" he bellowed as his squinted through the spray of water to see what was going on.

He was in his bathroom, in his shower to be more accurate, and the crisp cold water was blasting him. Pulling himself together he pushed himself up to turn the shower handle ending the offending barrage and sat back on the cold tile coughing and catching his breath.

"What the hell is going on?" he asked no one in particular. Sirius tried to remember what was happening before his aquatic attack, but all he could remember was the angel's voice calling to him, saying his name over and over again. And Sirius had said her name, _Marlene,_ but no that wasn't right. The Angel's voice didn't have Marlene's Scottish accent. No his Angel had a delicate British accent that made him smile softly. And her hands had been…

Sirius looked down at his naked form and sighed.

"Seriously, old man? Passing out while wanking in the shower?"

For that was the only conclusion that made sense, even if it didn't feel like the truth to Sirius.

Standing slowly Sirius finished his shower, but he couldn't find the strength in him to shave. What was the point? He had nowhere to go and no one to impress. Unless you count Kreacher, which Sirius certainly did not.

He threw on a clean white vest and jeans. He went to put on a button down shirt but again, what was the point? Same with shoes. Sirius looked towards the mirror and sighed before walking out the door without even a second glance.

He walked through the house like a ghost and really that's what he felt like. Trapped in a place he hated. Stuck between two worlds. No longer an Azkaban prisoner but not yet a free man. Finding himself in his favorite room he plumped down in the only cozy arm chair in the whole house, a large black one in the back corner, and lifted up the book he had started yesterday. Reading to pass his time stuck in hell.

Sirius did not know how long he had sat reading the same page over and over again before he noticed a tiny ball of blue light appear in the middle of the room. His heart began racing as he watched the tiny blue light flit around the room before pausing and growing in size. Blue light flashing and filling the library and causing Sirius to shield his eyes with his book. Once it was over he looked over the top to find the blue light, but it was no longer there. In it's place was a girl, no woman, with curly brown hair and long tan legs. _Hermione._

She was not facing him. Instead she seemed to be staring at something small in her hand before she looked to the room in front of her.

"Okay," she said in a hushed voice. "This isn't what I expected but at least it's working."

She reached behind into the back pocket of her jean shorts and pulled out a small book and began writing furiously in it. Sirius was too shocked to move. He watched her bounce on the toes of her feet as she worked, a soft sigh escaping her lips.

"Everything looks to be in order," she said tucking away her notebook and walking towards the end table and the paper that Sirius had read earlier caught her eye. Quickly she grabbed it and shook it open.

"September 2, 1995! Merlin's saggy bollocks!"

Sirius's barking laughter filled the room at Hermione's explicative and she squeaked as she jumped and turned around.

"Sirius!"

He couldn't help it as he laughed harder. Something about hearing Hermione curse so colorfully and then squeak like an innocent schoolgirl made him giggle uncontrollably.

"Hello, Kitten," he smiled at her. "Nice to have you back."

He watched as confusion and panic flashed over her features and her eyes darting about before she straightened and pushed her shoulders back in an effort to look intimidating.

"I don't know what you are talking about, Sirius. There has obviously been a mistake and I must leave at once to return to Hogwarts. If you will excuse me." She made to leave but something stopped her. "It's good to see you again, Sirius." She whispered before looking at him again.

Sirius could see the pain in her eyes along with the tears that were threatening to spill over. He had a sudden urge to rush to her and hold her, but he shook his head slightly as if to rid his mind of the image before he folded the corner of the page he was reading in his book and set it aside.

"Hermione…" he began but was cut off by a choking sound. Looking up he saw Hermione staring at him wildly.

"You didn't! Tell me you didn't," she hissed. "You… you monster!"

Sirius looked at her with trepidation as she marched toward him in her fury. "Tell me you did not just fold that corner page of your book!"

She grabbed the book from his hands and flipped it open, pushing down the fold to flatten it back out.

"Um, Hermione," Sirius began again, "I was only marking my place. I believe it's called a dog-ear."

Hermione scoffed and Sirius laughed even harder at her expression of shock and insult.

"Of course," she muttered rolling her eyes with annoyance. "Wouldn't expect anything else from a mutt like yourself."

Sirius closed his eyes and leaned back clutching his stomach and doubling over with his laughter. "Oh, Kitten," he panted looking up towards her as he wiped his eyes. "Kitten?"

Looking around the now empty room he blinked with confusion. What was going on? In one swift move he was up from his chair and rushing through the room.

"Hermione!" He called out again looking around desperately. She had just disappeared right in front of him. Quickly he marched out of the library and back down the stairs, not really sure where he was going. "Hermione!"

His heart began beating faster as he walked through the house. What if this was all some elaborate prank? Or worse, what if he had truly lost it and now the tiny pieces left of his sanity were projecting his need for human interaction onto the memory of his Godson's best friend?

"Sirius?"

He whipped around as she poked her head through the door from the kitchen.

"Sirius? What's wrong?"

He couldn't breath for a moment as he looked at her. It was then he noticed that she wasn't the Hermione that he remembered dropping off at King's Cross. The woman standing in front of him looked older and more tired. Her tear filled eyes held wisdom and tragedy and the promise of something more.

"What's wrong?" she asked again softly, her voice barely a whisper.

"How did you get down here?" Sirius implored walking toward her, his voice harsher than he intended.

Hermione wilted as he came closer and again Sirius felt the urge to hold her and make her feel better. It must be residual feelings from spending so much time with her this past summer alongside Harry.

Sirius shook his head to push the thoughts away as Hermione stepped further into the hallway straightening her shoulders and pushing her nose into the air.

"What do you mean, Sirius? I told you I was going to put the kettle on."

He stopped abruptly trying to make sense of her words, "What?"

"You know what? I don't have time for this," Hermione sighed. "If you won't even try to understand where I am coming from then I can't help you."

Sirius watched as the witch stormed past him, her shoulder knocking into his arm in a way that Sirius was sure was meant to be intimidating, but in fact annoyed him to no end. She continued to march along the corridor to the sitting room. He could only stare after her as she slammed the door causing him to flinch.

The animagus held his breath waiting for the screeches from his mother's portrait but they never came. In place of the shrill screams he heard another much more delicate sound.

"Sirius?" an angelic voice called from up the stairs. "Was that you?"

His heart began beating in his chest with befuddlement and he found himself frozen. Clearly his earlier assessment was accurate. He was losing his marbles.

"Sirius?" The angel called again. "Is everything all right down there?"

Sirius had always thought himself to be a smart man, but it that instant he could not put two syllables together. His brain just could not make sense to what was going on.

Logically, he knew he should be alone in his house. Grimmauld place was unplottable and had Albus Fucking Dumbledore as it's secret keeper. His best friend was currently on a mission to find missing new werewolves sympathetic to the cause wherever they were hiding. Even his arch nemesis Snape had not graced Sirius with his greasy presence since the last order meeting. Another meeting wasn't scheduled for another two weeks.

Yet, here he was with an angelic voice calling from upstairs and his Godson's best friend currently in his sitting room.

"Sirius!"

Suddenly a flicker of recognition hit Sirius in the gut and his breathing began to quicken as the angel's voice turned more urgent. Finding his voice he asked the question that was causing the hairs on his arms to stand.

"Hermione? Is that you?"

He held his breath and waited for an answer. Her soft tinkling laugh echoed down the stairs.

"Who else would it be?" She said making his heart flutter more. "Now hurry up with that water, yeah? I'm not nearly done with you and that glorious tongue of yours."

Suddenly finding his strength, Sirius cleared the corridor in the direction he had watched Hermione leave and pushed open the sitting room door with a bang finding it empty. He let out a long sigh as he leaned into the door frame.

"What the actual fuck is going on?"


End file.
